Agenda Packet 10-22-18 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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October 22, 2018, Work Session – Item 3 EUGENE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Public Hearing: An Ordinance Extending the Term of Ordinance No. 19775 and Ordinance No. 20397 Granting to Comcast of Oregon II, Inc. a Franchise for Operation of a Cable Telecommunications System. Meeting Date: October 22, 2018 Agenda Item Number: 3 Department: Central Services Staff Contact: Pam Berrian, Mike Streepey www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Numbers: 541-682-5590, 541-682-6820 ISSUE STATEMENT The purpose of this public hearing is to provide an opportunity for public comment regarding the proposed ordinance extending Comcast’s cable television franchise agreement until June 30, 2020. Without the extension, the franchise agreement will expire on January 1, 2019. This ordinance would only extend the term of the franchise; all other franchise terms and conditions would remain the same. BACKGROUND The City of Eugene, the City of Springfield, and Lane County together have granted Comcast of Oregon II, Inc. (“Comcast”) a franchise for the operation of a cable communications system (Eugene Ordinance No. 20397). The Metropolitan Policy Commission is the entity designated by the three jurisdictions to administer the franchise. At the local level, cable is typically regulated by a local government entity such as a city cable commission, city council, town council, or a board of supervisors. These regulatory entities are called "local franchising authorities." Over 20 years ago, Eugene decided to jointly negotiate a separate but identical cable franchise with Lane County and the City of Springfield as a regional effort, with the MPC acting as the Cable Commission on joint regulatory matters. The existing franchise expires January 1, 2019. According to the Federal Communications Commission: “The 1984 Cable Act established policies in the areas of ownership, channel usage, franchise provisions and renewals, subscriber rates and privacy, obscenity and lockboxes, unauthorized reception of services, equal employment opportunity, and pole attachments. The new law also defined jurisdictional boundaries among federal, state and local authorities for regulating cable television systems.“ In addition to such provisions, the federal Cable Act requires cable providers to have franchises and provides for a renewal process. Additional information about the FCC’s rules on cable systems can be found at www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/cable-television.